compass needle

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Using supersensitive, quantum-based magnetic sensors, it’s possible to read that field the way a compass needle does and match those variations to pre-existing maps of them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

"Each electron possesses a magnetic spin that acts like a tiny compass needle embedded in the material, reacting to the local magnetic field," said Rice materials scientist and co-author Boris Yakobson.

From Science Daily • Nov. 9, 2023

Above, the mast tilted back and forth like a compass needle aimed at the sky.

From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2022

These errors are akin to flipping a compass needle from north to south or east to west, respectively.

From Scientific American • Sep. 22, 2022

If one person points the needle of their compass at a letter, the other compass needle will swing and point at the same letter.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton